What is BE GREAT?

Boys & Girls Clubs believe every child has the potential to BE GREAT. In support of this strong conviction, Clubs strive to build caring, responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Club family – a community of staff, volunteers, parents, youth and supporters – work together to create a positive place, full of hope and opportunity, for every child.

 

Did You Know?
A Teen Graduation Crisis Survey was conducted by BGCA in March 2009. The survey, completed by nearly 1,000 U.S. residents ages 13-18 years old, revealed some staggering results. See the survey highlights or learn more about BGCA's 2009 Teen Town Hall event, where experts and teens discussed education in the United States and the challenges teens face.

• 74% of teens know someone who has dropped out of high school.
• The #1 issue that 24% of teens would like the current White House Administration to address is the cost of college.
• Ten years from now, 32% of teens expect to earn $100,000 or more annually in their careers.

Interested in more survey results? Read about results from our 2008 teen survey.

By the Numbers

• Nearly one-third of all public high school students – and nearly one half of all African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans – fail to graduate with their class.
• 88% of youth had passing grades when they dropped out of school; 91% of those dropouts said they knew that graduating was vital to their future success.
• If the students who dropped out of the class of 2008 had graduated, the U.S. economy would have benefited from an additional $319 billion in income over their lifetimes.

America is facing a crisis.

In 2006, some three-fourths of American students admit they consumed alcohol before graduating high school2 and 1.2 million teenagers did not graduate on time – that's 30 percent of the public high school graduating class.1 An alarming 31.9 percent of American youth – ages 2 through 19 – are considered obese or overweight.3

Our young people need our support. Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe place for youth to get help with homework and learn how to resist peer pressure and the negative influences on their lives. Clubs offer a respite from daily pressures and a fun place to meet friends.

Help Clubs provide this needed support by being an active advocate for youth. Mentor a child. Volunteer with local service organizations. Provide financial resources. Together, we can give young people a chance to succeed.